Transient analysis of thermosyphon solar air heater with built-in latent heat thermal energy storage system

✍ Scribed by Hassan E.S. Fath

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 387 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0960-1481
• DOI: 10.1016/0960-1481(94)00050-g

✦ Synopsis

The thermal performance of a thermosyphon solar air heater with built-in latent heat thermal energy storage system is presented. Phase change materials (PCM) of different melting temperatures (Tin) of 61, 51, 43 and 32°C are studied and compared with the system with no storage material. The results are presented for two limiting values of the maximum (noon) solar intensities of 700 and 900 W m -z and the average ambient temperature of the city of Alexandria, Egypt. It was found that the heaters with Tm = 51 and 43°C show the best performance. For Tm= 43°C, the heater thermal load of minimum outlet air temperature of 8°C above ambient, and minimum air flow rate of 0.01 kg s-1 (30 m 3 h-~), is delivered for the whole day. The hot air flow rate varies from 0.006 kg s -~ (18 m 3 h -j) for 24 h, to 0.036 kg s-1 (l 11 m 3 h ~) for 10 h, depending on the system flow resistance. The proposed air heater is simple in design and adds no operational or maintenance complexities over conventional air heaters.